A day in the dumps

Near where we were staying in Nicaragua there was a city dump. As we drove up to the dump, I was ready to hunt for treasures again; just like in Peru. This dump was different, it was smaller, less people, and families lived there: three of them actually. They have made houses out of sticks and cardboard. They live there with their children; like 4 year old children. Even though Nicaragua is hot, it can get chilly at night, not to mention that they have a rainy season. I’m not sure how these houses withstand that:
  

Our team found some families and helped them search thru the heaps of garbage that had recently been brought, some of which was our own, to pick out plastics! I’m not sure how much money they can expect to make in a week, or why they only collect plastics to sell in the country; but I feel it’s safe to assume that they make even less money than the people that worked in the Peru dump.

While we were there it was common to see families working together; which was heart breaking. I can’t even imagine being 4 years old, working in a dump to sort thru the garbage with my parents, breathing in the smoke from burning garbage all the time, smelling the garbage every moment of my life, sleeping on the ground under a piece of cardboard, and rarely leaving the garbage dump. I’m not even sure how they get food. I can only imagine what that can do to a child’s self worth; heck even an adult’s! It took that little girl at least 20 minutes to smile and play a hand game with my teammate Erin. Once Erin got her smiling, though, her beauty just poured out of her

 
As some of my team members and I walked around the dump to pray over it; we were in awe of the beauty that surrounds the dump. Our hearts ached for the people who worked at the dump to be able to experience that kind of beauty, for themselves. While we were walking all I could think of was a song by Shane & Shane called “Beauty to Ashes”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8X1sC5BDmE It’s like the dump is an interruption of the beauty around it 

 

All in all it was just another day in the life of a treasure hunter, it’s amazing the quantity of treasures that people throw away:

It all got me to thinking; what a surprise I know. Most places in the United States have recycling programs: whether they pick them up at your house or centers where you can bring them. What would it look like if we took our recyclables to the centers, turned them in for money and set that money every month to some charitable organization? Sure it would take a few extra minutes out of our day but it might be worth it to help a child in need. Even if it’s only $5 a month it’s still $5 more than they would have had AND if 20 people give that money then it’s $100 🙂 I think it’s important not to dis-credit giving in small increments! Ya know, if you don’t know where to give it to, you could always donate it to me 😉